1. What does F1 goldendoodle mean?
F1 stands for first generation and means that one parent is a golden retriever and one parent is a poodle. F1 goldendoodles are 50% golden retriever and 50% poodle.
2. What is an F1b Goldendoodle?
“F1” part of F1b stands for generation and the “b” part stands for backcrossed to one of the foundation breeds (being a purebred golden retriever or poodle). Usually an F1b goldendoodle has one F1 goldendoodle parent and one poodle parent. F1b goldendoodles are usually about 75% poodle and 25% golden retriever.
3. Will my Goldendoodle be curly?
A Goldendoodle’s adult coat will be curlier than her puppy coat. You can look for waves on your puppy’s ears and forehead and texture to her coat to tell whether she’ll grow up to have tight poodle curls.
4. Which Goldendoodle has straight hair?
Generally speaking, goldendoodles with a higher percentage golden retriever will have straighter hair and goldendoodles with a higher percentage poodle will have curlier hair. A first generation Goldendoodle (aka F1 goldendoodle) has one golden retriever parent and one poodle parent, so the coat is generally pretty straight with a little wave. An F1b Goldendoodle is most commonly an F1 goldendoodle backcrossed to a poodle. F1b goldendoodles are approximately 75% poodle and have curlier coats than F1 goldendoodles.
Breeders can genetically test parent dogs to achieve straighter or curlier coats, which means some F2 or multi gen goldendoodles may have curly coats, some wavy coats, and others straight coats, depending on their genetic makeup. If coat texture is important to you, be sure to find a breeder that understands coat genetics and ask questions. Learn more about how to determine whether your goldendoodle will have a curly coat in this article.
5. Which Goldendoodle is hypoallergenic?
Goldendoodles with two copies of the furnishing gene are the most hypoallergenic. An F1 goldendoodle will only have one copy of the furnishing gene, so F1 goldendoodles are not the best option for those with pet dander allergies. If you or someone in your family has significant pet dander allergies, it’s essential to find a breeder who understands genetics and can help you find a puppy who is genetically the best for your family. For our dogs, Rosy, Maple, and Boaz all have two copies of the furnishing gene. This means that all of Rosy & Maple’s puppies with Boaz will also have two copies of the furnishing gene and are a good option for those with pet dander allergies. Learn more about about the genes that impact whether a goldendoodle is hypoallergenic in this article.
6. Which Goldendoodle sheds the least?
Goldendoodles with two copies of the furnishing gene shed the least. The amount that a Goldendoodle sheds is largely based on genetics. An F1 goldendoodle will only have one copy of the furnishing gene, so F1 goldendoodles generally shed a little. Learn more about the genetics that impact whether a goldendoodle will shed in this article.
7. Will Goldendoodle puppies shed?
Goldendoodle puppies with one or two copies of the furnishing gene will not shed. Goldendoodle puppies who do not have a copy of the furnishing gene will shed as puppies and continue shedding as adults. We do genetic testing to ensure that all of our Goldendoodle puppies have at least one copy of the furnishing gene. We don’t want you to bring home a Goldendoodle puppy who is high shedding. Learn more about the genetics that impact whether a goldendoodle will shed in this article.
8. Will my doodle grow a beard?
The furnishing gene produces long hair on a doodle’s face known as a beard. If your doodle has one or two copies of the furnishing gene, she will grow a beard. If your doodle does not have a copy of the furnishing gene, she will have short hair on her face like a golden retriever, and she will also be higher shedding.
9. Can goldendoodles live outside?
Technically a Goldendoodle can live outside. A Goldendoodle is not going to thrive as an outdoor dog though. Goldendoodles are a people-oriented dog breed who enjoy being part of the family. It’s best for a Goldendoodle to live in your home where she can be your shadow and participate in life with you.
10. When do goldendoodles stop growing?
Mini goldendoodles do the majority of their growing by 6 months old. They may have a little growth spurt around 8 months old, but by 8 months old, your mini Goldendoodle is finished growing in height.
11. Will my Goldendoodle change color?
Like poodles, goldendoodles usually lighten in color with age. Did you know that silver poodles are born jet black? Occasionally, a Goldendoodle will darken with age though. This is on account of an unidentified modifier called the RUFUS gene. Since it’s not currently a gene for which canine genetic companies can test, breeders have to look at a dog’s phenotype because RUFUS is not currently a testable gene. Generally, a Goldendoodle’s adult coat will be lighter than
Here are pictures of the same dog (Phoebe) as a puppy and as an adult so you can see how her color changed with maturation.
12. Can goldendoodles swim?
Yes, goldendoodles can swim. Golden retrievers and poodles were both originally bred to be water retrievers, so it’s no surprise that goldendoodles can swim and often enjoy the water. Not every Goldendoodle loves to swim though. Introduce your Goldendoodle puppy to water at a young age to help encourage a love of water. A river or pond is a good choice for early water play because your puppy can control the depth. This makes for a more pleasant experience than jumping in water that’s over her head (such as off of a boat). Our dogs enjoy swimming in the Little Miami River near our home and also in the pond at Lucy & Junie’s house. A stick or tennis ball makes for a fun afternoon of water play. We also take our dogs canoeing, which they enjoy.
13. Can goldendoodles be black?
As ironic as it sounds, goldendoodles can indeed be black. The black color comes from a black poodle. Our goldendoodles are shades of cream to medium apricot in color. We do not breed black goldendoodles at this time.
14. Are goldendoodles hyper?
If a Goldendoodle has hyper parents, she’ll be hyper. If a Goldendoodle has calm parents, she’ll also be calmer. It’s essential for temperament to be a higher priority than color. People can become so caught up in having a Goldendoodle that’s a “cool color” that they neglect to realize that temperament is actually more important.
While our puppies often have a reddish hue, we don’t breed deep red goldendoodles. Our dogs are various shades of cream to apricot in color, like our parent dogs. We choose to breed English golden retriever lines because they are thought to be less prone to cancer than American goldens. They also generally are less hyper and have boxier faces, which we think are cuter. English golden retrievers are lighter in color though, so they don’t produce goldendoodles that are deep red. Most red goldendoodles fade with age and don’t retain their rich red color unless the red is from the golden retriever side rather than the poodle side. Redder golden retrievers generally come from hunting lines, so they are usually higher energy with more prey drive.
15. Do goldendoodle eyelashes grow back?
When your goldendoodle visits the groomer, her eye lashes will likely get a little trimming too. Groomers often try to leave lashes long, but sometimes it’s inevitable for them to get shortened a bit in the process of trimming the rest of the face and head. Don’t worry though. Goldendoodle eye lashes grow back!
BONUS: What is an English cream golden retriever?
The golden retriever breed originated from gun dogs in Scotland. While all golden retrievers descend from the same distant ancestors, the breed took on different characteristics from country to country. English golden retrievers, which come from European bloodlines, tend to have a stockier, more muscular build than American golden retrievers and are also generally lighter in color (more of a light cream color rather than gold or red). AKC’s breed standard for the golden retriever doesn’t allow the cream color. It reads that a golden retriever’s color may be “lustrous golden of various shades… Predominant body color which is either extremely pale… is undesirable.” Europeans embraced the lighter colors of golden retrievers that the American breeders worked to eliminate.
While there are some cream colored American golden retrievers, physical appearance alone doesn’t make a dog “English.” The European bloodline is what truly makes a golden retriever English. Both the American and English golden retrievers exhibit the same wonderful temperament, they just look a little different.
Many people prefer the cute teddy bear look of the English goldendoodle. In addition to that adorable teddy bear face, the most desirable aspect of using English golden retrievers verses American golden retrievers is their health. Cancer is the number one killer of American golden retrievers, causing many to die before 9 years of age. Some research suggests that cancer is less prevalent in English golden retrievers than American golden retrievers. The research isn’t sufficient to be sure that English golden retrievers are less prone to cancer, but it’s a possibility. Health is our primary concern, so we opt for English lines, researching longevity. Pictured above is the beautiful Lucy.